Xigera

Rigney Racing's Xigera (Nyquist), the 6 1/2-length GIII Falls City S. winner on Thanksgiving Day, will enjoy a planned break this winter before targeting next year's GI La Troienne S. on Kentucky Derby weekend, according to trainer Phillip Bauer. The Kentucky-based conditioner won last year's Falls City with now-retired Played Hard (Into Mischief) who returned five months later to win the La Troienne by a neck over GI Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate). "We're going to take her to the sidelines for the winter and hopefully take the...

Xigera (Nyquist) no longer needs to prove to anyone her affinity for the dirt. As if she needed to off back-to-back stake wins by a combined 9 3/4 lengths. She certainly had the wagering public on her side in Thursday's feature race under the TwinSpires, going off at a popular 1-9 to take her third-straight race and second graded stake in the GIII Falls City S. Since swapped to the main track by owner Rigney Racing and trainer Phillip Bauer, the 3-year-old, who should have inspired confidence off a third...

In just her second start on the dirt, Rigney Racing's Xigera (Nyquist) impressed her connections with a 6 1/4-length win in Churchill's Seneca Overnight S. Sept. 23. The effort was enough to prompt a Breeders' Cup discussion and the daughter of Nyquist was pre-entered in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff only to be withdrawn from consideration early week and rerouted to Saturday's GII Mother Goose S. The move proved to be a smart one as Xigera rewarded her connections with another open-length win at even money. Switched to the main...

The fall meeting at Churchill Downs gets underway Sunday in what has become its traditional way, with juvenile races comprising the entire 11-race program. When the Triple Crown trail begins in earnest following the turn of the calendar, it will likely feature a handful of horses that raced on the day en route to bigger and better things, and the $200,000 GIII Street Sense S. has the feel of a key race going forward. The form of the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity is very much on display, and while that...

Richard Rigney says that nothing in life gives him a bigger kick than his horses. To understand just what that means, it might help to know his idea of a vacation. A few years ago, for instance, he went on a shooting range in Russia. Not that startling, perhaps: this was obviously before the war in Ukraine. It's just the caliber of the ordnance that was a little unusual. "Shooting a bazooka is so fun," Rigney says. "My wife Tammy was like, 'You know what? I think it's okay that...

One short elevator ride from the top of the Churchill Downs grandstand down to the ground floor was all the time it took for Phil Bauer to officially become a Grade I-winning trainer. On Kentucky Oaks Friday, Bauer was watching from upstairs as his trainee Played Hard (Into Mischief) took the lead going into the stretch of the GI La Troienne S. and, with Johnny Velazquez aboard, fought off last year's Oaks victress Secret Oath (Arrogate) to win by a neck. When Bauer and an elated crew of Rigney Racing...

The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf looks like a tough spot for Xigera (Nyquist). She's 8-1 in the morning line, drew the 13 post, is facing a strong group of European challengers and her only win came in a maiden race. But she's not out of this, not as hot as her stable is. In their ninth year in the sport and after an inauspicious start, Richard and Tammy Rigney's Rigney Racing is enjoying a dream season. With seven wins, they were the leading owner at the spring meet...

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-28, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.36, fm, 5 3/4 lengths. XIGERA (f, 2, Nyquist--Argent Affair {SW, $154,895}, by Black Tie Affair {Ire}) had to settle for second after getting run down late by 'TDN Rising Star' Pink Hue (Mendelssohn) when debuted over this same surface and distance Aug. 7 but returned at even-money Sunday for another chance. After flashing speed inside of Forever Dixie (Quality Road) early, she settled back off the pace into a stalking position up the backstretch. Put to a run into the far...